Folding machine



Nov. 26, 1935. L. M. KAHN 2,022,351

FOLDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l J ii 24 26 25 51 *127 l N V EN T R Nov. 26, 1935. L. M. KAHN FOLDING MACHI-NE Filed Aug.20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedNov. 26, 1935 2 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE- FOLDING moms Leo M. Kahn, New York, N. Y., assignor, by mesneassignments, to American Laundry Machinery gaiinpany, Cincinnati, Ohio,a corporation of Application August 20, 1930.. Serial No. 476,463 11Claims. (Cl. 270-68) This invention relates to folding machines and moreparticularly to those adapted to automatically folding flat articles ofvarious sizes.

Among the objects of the invention are:

'To insure a positive fold regardless of any slippage of the conveyingmeans on the article; to enable the machine to be of small dimensions byelimination of the stretched condition of an article to be folded; toprovide a device which will allow the two leaves of the folded articleto be of adjustably different lengths, as is desirable when the leadingand rear edges are out of alignment; and, to provide means for allowingutilization of the'fu'll width of the machine to enable folding a'numberof small articles fed side by side into the machine.

These and other objects will be obvious from the description anddrawings forming part of this specification, the scope of the inventionbeing set forth in theappended claims.

In the drawings:

1 Fig. 1 ma side elevation of the machine embodying the invention,diagramatically showing electrical circuits and connectionsand havingone side frame removed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the arrangement of aplurality of independent automatic fold-controlling mechanisms.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a mechanism adjusting the nature of thefold from an early to a late fold, i. e.: for retaining the edges fromdirect alignment when sheets are not of. rectangular shape:

Fig. 4 is an electric circuit diagram.

A frame I has tables II and I 2 preferably inclined, and carries rollersl3, l4, and I5 over. which conveyors or tapes l6 run. These are driv-'en by a motor I! and transmission? through belts or chains l9. Thetables II and I 2 are spaced apart leaving a gap 20 over the full widthof the machine, which is adapted to be bridged by shutter or slide 2|,which is preferably operated by electro magnet or solenoid 22 overlink-- age 23, thus providing a continuous passage from one table to theother. An idler roller 29 presses switch 24, but will, when actuated,break the circuit mentioned and contact with contactor 33 in the circuitincluding a solenoid 34, auxiliary switch 25 and contactor. 21.

Energization of electro magnet 34 will actuate 5 linkage 35 and willcause the shield 36 to be pressed tightly against table l2, against theaction of the spring 31.

Slots 4| are provided in table I I and sliding plate 2|, receiving thearms of switches 24 and 25, thus placing these directly in the path ofarticles 38. Slots 42 in table I2 and shield 36 are-adapted to receiveswitch 3| leaving only its arm between shield 36 and table I 2, also inthe path of articles 38. Springs 43, 44, and 45 are adapted to maintainthe position of the switches 24, 25, and 3| respectively, until they areovercome by the engagement of the edge of the articles with the switcharms. In the preferred construction, to utilize the full width of themachine at all times regardless of the width of the sheets or articlesto be folded, a plurality of the folding mechanisms may be placedtransversely v e on the amount of independent units installed.

Extending between the mouth of opening 20 and the delivery table 5| is acontinuously moving conveyor 46 adapted to run on rollers 48, and acoacting plate 41, between which articles 38 are folded.

When the edges of an article are irregular in contour it may beadvisable to fold the article 0 so that one edge sits a distance back ofthe other. This may be accomplished by a form of preferred constructionbest illustrated in Fig. 3.

The switch 24 and contactor 26 are insulatively mounted on rods 52 and53 respectively, supported at both ends by the frame lilabove the pathof the articles andextending across the full width of the machine. Asupport 54 is also fastened to frame In supporting the rods 55 and 56which carry switch 25 and contactor 21 also insulatively fastenedthereto. Rods and 56 are sliding in slots providedcn the sides of theU-shaped support 54 and carry a lug 5'! consequently switch arm ablelengthwise with respect to the machine by the rotation of spindle 58 bymeans of a hand wheel. Different dispositions of lug 51, and 25, withrespect to the corresponding gripper or shield 30 is for providingcorresponding offsets between the leading and rear edges of the articlewhen same is folded, a larger distancebetween arm 25 and gripper 36causing a larger offset between the edges.

The operation of the device constructed as explained hereinabove is asfollows:

Articles 38 are fed between roller l3 and table II and are conveyed bytapes l8 toward the folding conveyor 46. The leading edge of eacharticle will then actuate that number of switches 24 and 25 that liewithin its path approximately simultaneously, and cause contact withcontactors 28 to close the circuits for solenoids 22 and with contactor21. The solenoid 22 becoming energized will, through the linkage 23,move the trap door 2| so as to bridge the gap 20, and thus,

provide a continuous passage for article 38 onto table i2. When theleading edge of the article actuates the switches 3|, contact withcontactor 32 is broken and that with contactor 33 is made instead. Thelatter contact closes the circuit including the solenoid 34 which whenso energized actuates the grippers 36 so that the leading edge isprevented from further movement. Meanwhile, upon disengagement of switch3| from contactor 32, the circuit including solenoid 22 is broken,whereupon the shutters 2| are allowed to drop back aided by the actionof the released spring 28. Then, as the rear portion of the article 38continues in its forward movement, the portion between tables i l and I2sags through the opening until it is caught between the conveyor 48 andits coacting plate 41. A doubling up of the article is effected, as onepart of the central portion is moved past the gradually increasingstationary portion until the rear edge of the article passes and thusreleases contact of switches with their contactors 21. Solenoid 34thereupon is deenergized, and spring 31 being released actuates thelinkage mechanism 35 and releases the grip on the front edge of thearticle, which is then totally conveyed in folded condition to thedelivery table Si, or diverted between tapes shown dotted in Fig. 1, foranother fold.

The position of switch 25 may be adjusted by turning the hand-wheel 59so that the front and rear edges of the folded article are displaced alittle.

It will thus be seen as the embodiments of the various features of thisinvention have been fully described, that they attain the variousobjects of the invention and are well suited to the re- 'quirements ofpractical use. Of course, many changes can be made in the aboveconstruction. Also many widely different embodiments of this inventioncould be made without departing from the scope thereof. 7

It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the descriptionand drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.-

Accordingly, what is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding machine of the class described, in combination,releasing and gripping mechanism, means for corfveying sheets of varyinglengths, electrical contact means for controlling the gripping of theleading end of said sheets and means for automatically releasing saidsheets when the rear end of said sheet is in predetermined dispositionrelative to said leading e se.

2. In a machine adapted to convey fabric articles of varying lengths tobe folded, in combination, releasing and gripping mechanism, electricalmeans actuated by the article being folded, for timing the gripping ofthe leading edge of 5 said article and separate electrical means forautomatically releasing said article when the rear end of said articleis in predetermined disposition relative to said'leading edge.

3. In a machine for folding fabric articles of in varying sizes, incombination, gripping and releasing means, electrical contacting meansadapted to be actuated by the article being folded, for effecting thegripping the leading edge of said articles, and separate electricalcontact means for 15 automatically releasing said leading edge of saidarticle when the rear edge of same disengages said separate electricalcontacting means.

4. In a machine for folding fabric articles of varying sizes, thecombination of means for con- 20 veying said articles in succession,electrical contactors adapted to be actuated by the leading edge of eachof said articles, electro-magnetic means controlled by said contactors,means actuated by said electro-magnetic means for gripping 25 theleading edge of the actuating article and separate electrical means forreleasing said leading edge when the rear edge of said article passessaid contactors.

5. In a machine of the class described, means for conveying articles ofvarying sizes introduced thereinto in succession, a plurality ofelectrical contactor members aligned transversely to and in the path ofsaid articles, and each adapted to be actuated by said articles, andmeans controlled by said members for grippingly retaining the leadingedge of each of said articles actuating said members, while the rearedges of same are v conveyed toward said leading edges.

6. In a device of the class described, the com- 0 bination with meansfor conveying fabric articles, of contactor members adapted to beactuated by said articles and means electrically operated and controlledby said contactor members for grippingly retaining the leading edge ofsaid actuating article until the opposite edge thereof is conveyed apredetermined distance toward said leading edge.

7. In a folding machine of the class described, in combination,contactor members adapted to be actuated by the article to be folded,means controlled by said contactors for grippingly retaining the leadingedge of said article, means for doubling up a gradually increasingcentral portion of said article upon itself and means for releasing saidleading edge when the rear edge of said article is in predetermineddisposition thereto.

8. A control device'for folding machines including in combinationelectrical contacting means for effecting gripping the leading edge ofthe article to be folded, means for effecting a doubling up of agradually increasing portion of said article and auxiliary contact meansoperatively connected to said gripping means for eflecting release ofsaid leading edge when the rear edge of said article is in predetermineddisposition thereto.

9. In a folding machine of the class described, in combinationelectrical contact members adapted to be actuated by the sheet to befolded, means controlled by said contact members for gripping- 1yretaining the leading edge of said sheet, means for opening a gap in thepath of travel of said sheet for effecting the doubling up of thegradually increasing central portion of said sheet and means forreleasing said leading edge when the rear edge of said sheet is in apredetermined disposition thereto.

10. In a sheet folding machine, means for conveying sheets of varyingsizes, a plurality of electrical contact mechanisms adapted to beactuated by said sheets, and electrically operated gripping meansoperatively connected to said contact mechanisms for gripping theleading edge of the sheet while the sheet is actuating one of saidcontact mechanisms, and means for releasing said gripping means when therear edge of the sheet passes over another of said contact mechanisms.

11. In a machine for conveying fabric articles of varying lengths to befolded, in combination a conveyor, means actuated by the article beingconveyed for effecting the gripping of the leading edge of said article,and separate means for automatically causing an opening of the conveyorin the path of travel of said article after it has gripped said article,means for releasing the leading edge of said article when the rear endof said article is in a predetermined position relative to the leadingedge, to cause the leading edge to travel 10 through said opening withsaid rear end of said article, to cause a fold in said article inaccordance to the length of the article.

LEO M. KAHN.

